ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) will be recommending some of its employees for prosecution for continuously indulging themselves in malpractices.
ZRA Commissioner General Dingani Banda says the governing board and management are supporting the implementation of various measures aimed at fostering an ethical organisational culture.
Among the measures are operationalization of integrity-related policies such as those to do with gifts and benefits, conflict of interest, whistle-blower policy, asset declaration guidelines, ZRA code of ethics and regular staff integrity engagement through talks, workshops, written articles, quiz and distribution of promotional materials.
Others are periodic staff rotations to avert over-familiarisation, among other reasons, as well as facilitating integrity assessment such as vulnerability to corruption and surveys on perception conducted by the World Customer Organisation (WCO), whose recommendations ZRA will support in implementation.
Speaking at this year’s commemoration of ZRA integrity month on Friday, Mr. Banda said some members of staff have ignored corruption prevention interventions.
“I am very concerned that we still have some members of staff who are engaged in malpractices and do not want to take advantage of the corruption prevention interventions,” he said.
“The only option left for us in dealing with such individuals is disciplinary proceedings and recommending for prosecution where necessary.”
Mr. Banda said the measures are meant to elevate the quality of service ZRA is providing with ultimate aim of optimising and sustaining tax administration while encouraging voluntary compliance.
He said malpractices in tax administration can lead to serious revenue leakages and instigate undue inefficiencies.
“This adversely affects the economy and undermines the ability of the Government to provide social-economic services,” Mr Banda said.
He said it is only through a workforce that observe ethical behaviour and lives the core values that ZRA can efficiently mop up the due revenues in the economy and transit the collections to the Government.
Mr. Banda said one of the macroeconomic objectives of the recently launched Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) is to maintain an annual domestic revenue to gross domestic product (GDO) ratio of at least 21 percent.
He said to attain that objective, ZRA needs to seal all revenue leakages and attain total and firm integrity in all spheres with a focus on right people, efficient processes and enhanced collaboration with all stakeholders.
Mr. Banda encouraged his staff to promote ethical business practices and foster a culture of integrity.
He said non-adherence to any ZRA’s core values is detrimental and catastrophic to delivering the much-needed revenue to the Government.
